​KMCS Publishing works with a small number of authors each year to produce books that stand out.

​

We are particularly interested in

​

• Historical fiction and family sagas

• Time-travel, speculative and alternative-history fiction rooted in real events

• Contemporary British fiction, including humorous and socially observant novels

• Upmarket commercial fiction

• Political fiction and social drama

• Children’s fiction

• Young adult fiction

• Narrative, social and popular history

• British culture, heritage, community and nostalgia

• Political, cultural and social commentary

• Memoir and biography with a distinctive story or specialist focus

• Sport, sporting history and specialist non-fiction

• Children’s historical and educational books

​​

​We are open to compelling work outside these areas where it has a distinctive voice, a clearly defined readership and a strong fit with the KMCS Publishing list.

​

​

We welcome submissions from both established and previously unpublished authors. Please read the following guidelines carefully before submitting your work.

​

Fiction submissions

Fiction manuscripts must be complete before submission.

Please send

• A covering letter introducing yourself and your book

• A one-page synopsis of approximately 500 words, including the ending

• The first three consecutive chapters or the first 10,000 words

• A brief author biography

• The manuscript’s complete word count

• Details of the intended readership and genre

• Two or three recently published books that may appeal to a similar readership

Please do not send selected chapters from different parts of the manuscript. We need to read the opening of the book as a reader would encounter it.

​

Non-fiction submissions

Non-fiction projects do not always need to be complete, but the proposal must demonstrate that the book has been thoroughly planned and researched.

Please send

• A covering letter introducing yourself and the proposed book

• An overview explaining the subject, approach and purpose of the book

• A chapter-by-chapter outline

• The introduction and up to three sample chapters

• The proposed final word count

• A description of the intended readership

• Details of comparable or competing books

• An author biography explaining your relevant knowledge, experience or access to the subject

• Details of any photographs, illustrations, interviews, archive material or third-party content that may be required

Authors submitting historical, political, biographical or narrative non-fiction should provide details of the principal sources used and explain how factual claims will be verified.

​

Manuscript presentation

All documents should be submitted as Microsoft Word files.

Please use

• A clear 12-point font such as Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri

• Double line spacing for manuscript pages

• Standard page margins

• Left-aligned text

• Numbered pages

• Clearly marked chapter headings

• A header containing the book title and author’s name

The title page should include the book title, author’s name or pen name, contact email address and total word count.

Please do not submit manuscripts as photographs, scanned pages, printed books or links to documents requiring access permission.

​

Covering letter

Your covering letter should be concise and should include

• The title, genre and word count

• A brief description of the book

• Why you believe it is suitable for KMCS Publishing

• Any relevant writing, professional or personal experience

• Details of previous publications, where applicable

• Whether the manuscript is currently being considered by another publisher or literary agent

The covering letter should not repeat the full synopsis.

​

Synopsis

A fiction synopsis should explain the complete story, including major developments, twists and the ending. It should not be written as promotional cover copy.

A non-fiction synopsis or overview should explain the book’s central argument, structure, intended readership and what distinguishes it from existing titles.

​

Originality and rights

Submissions must be the author’s own original work.

The author must control the rights required for publication and must disclose

• Any previous publication of the work in whole or in part

• Any existing publishing, representation or option agreements

• Any substantial use of copyrighted material belonging to another person

• Any real individuals who are identifiable within the manuscript

• Any legal, privacy, confidentiality or factual concerns that may arise

• Any use of artificial intelligence in producing or substantially rewriting the manuscript

Quotations, photographs, song lyrics, illustrations, archive material and other third-party content may require written permission before publication. Authors are responsible for identifying such material during the submission process.

​

Previously published work

Please tell us if the book has previously been self-published, commercially published or made publicly available online.

Previously published work may be considered in exceptional circumstances, but submission does not guarantee that it will be eligible for republication.

​

Simultaneous submissions

We accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if the manuscript is being considered elsewhere.

If you accept an offer of representation or publication while we are considering your work, please withdraw your submission promptly.

What we do not accept

We are not currently seeking

• Poetry collections

• Academic theses in their original form

• Unfinished fiction

• Books generated wholly or substantially by artificial intelligence

• Manuscripts submitted on behalf of another person without their written authority

• Work that infringes copyright, promotes unlawful conduct or contains material the author does not have the right to publish

Children’s picture books, heavily illustrated books and specialist formats should only be submitted following an initial enquiry.

​

Assessment process

Every submission that follows these guidelines will be considered, but submission does not guarantee publication or individual editorial feedback.

We may request the complete manuscript if we wish to consider the project further. A request for the full manuscript does not constitute an offer of publication.

Please allow up to twelve weeks for an initial response. If you have not received a response after that period, you may send one polite follow-up enquiry.

Due to the number of submissions received, we may not be able to provide detailed reasons when declining a manuscript.

​

Publication costs

KMCS Publishing does not charge authors a reading fee or require an author to pay for standard publication as a condition of accepting a manuscript.

Any offer of publication will be made in writing and will set out the proposed rights, royalties, formats, responsibilities and publication arrangements. Authors will be given the opportunity to review the agreement before deciding whether to proceed.

​

How to submit

Please email your submission to: info@kmcspublishing.com.

Use the following email subject line

Submission – Book Title – Author Name – Genre

Attach the covering letter, synopsis or proposal, and sample chapters as separate Microsoft Word documents.

Please do not send the complete manuscript unless requested.